Just discovered leak - winterized IG pool

[LoraT]

Recently discovered we have lost exactly 9 inches of water since closing the pool on October 1. We pulled back the cover today to inspect and couldn’t see anything obvious. We used food dye around the light and steps – didn’t seem to be anything drawing the dye toward a leak. We also went around the perimeter squirting dye and looking for tears, but didn’t see anything.

It “seems” to have stopped – but not 100% sure since it keeps raining. We did buy a new cover this year, and the first time we pumped the water off the cover it did have several inches of water on top. Is there any way to tell if water is somehow seeping through the cover when we are pumping the water off? I haven’t noticed any spots around the pool that seem wetter than anywhere else right now. Checked around the filter and pump – it is dry and everything is still closed up tight.

I’m not sure where to go from here. Any suggestions?

 

[Victor Newman]

Sounds like it is drained and empty ? Is it still full of water ? How can you tell you lost water ? Is water escaping via the backwash discharge pipe ? Guess I am dense..... but I can't quite picture your problem.

 

[LoraT]

Sounds like it is drained and empty ? Is it still full of water ? How can you tell you lost water ?

Not drained and empty - down 9" from where it was the day we closed the pool on October 1 (3 months ago). We could tell the water was low because of the way the cover was pulling away from the walls.

Is water escaping via the backwash discharge pipe ?

We have checked all of the equipment/plumbing/lines that we can see and all is dry.

Guess I am dense..... but I can't quite picture your problem.

Here are some pictures:

 

[kimkats]

I can tell you that a friend of mine put a pump on top of his cover to pump the water off the cover. He ended up pumping water OUT of the pool as well At least he stopped the pump before any real damage was done. SO it is possible your new cover is more porous than you thought.

Let us know what you figure out.

Kim

 

[Victor Newman]

If the leak stopped at a point below the skimmer....that might mean the leak is in the skimmer. This happened to us. If water went below the light and stopped leaking.........

Anyway, try the 24 hour bucket leak test, when it stops raining. Lots of info about this on this site.

As Kim indicated, the cover could be porous...or the weight of the pump allowed water to come up and onto the cover...and be pumped away.

 

[LoraT]

Okay - I thought I was crazy by thinking the cover/sump pump could be the culprit. We have always drained the cover this way. The last time I drained it, I set the pump on top of a lid from a 5 gallon bucket. Which leads to my next question. How would the pool water get through the cover. Is it from the weight of the water on top of the cover or does the pump somehow suck the pool water through the cover? (I hope that makes sense). As you can see from the pictures, the water is approximately 3+ inches below the skimmer so I think that eliminates the leak being in the skimmers.

We have drained the pool cover this way for the past nine years and never had any problems - but this is a new cover. I thought the cover was great when I saw it - its nice and thick and seemed like the material would be less resistant to tears and holes. I really do hope that's what it is though.

When the weather clears up in a few days I'll see about doing the bucket test. I assume though that If I check it in a couple of days and the water level hasn't gone down any more that it won't be necessary because that will pretty much prove that it is the cover. Right? :???:

 

[kimkats]

Right! Your thinking is very sound................it all really points to the new cover. That is the ONLY thing different. You did not have any problems with water levels before you closed right? Then you close and put a NEW cover on and..........

Kim

 

[LoraT]

Right! Your thinking is very sound................it all really points to the new cover. That is the ONLY thing different. You did not have any problems with water levels before you closed right? Then you close and put a NEW cover on and..........

Kim

Thank you Kimkats! I needed to hear an expert agree with my thinking.
Now if the weather would clear so I can get back out there to check it ..............

 

[kimkats]

OH MY! I just looked at your weather (as I sit here with the windows open). Your HIGH for Thurs. is 38????????? OUCH and burrrrrrr LOL

The pool will still be there but more like an ice block than a swimming pool!

Do you have the water drained out of the skimmer and equipment to protect them from the freeze?

Kim

 

[LoraT]

Ugh! :-( Blech! Hadn't seen Thursdays forecast yet. I hate cold weather - wish I lived in Florida!!! Yes - everything is drained and protected.

Lora